Palliative Care Fellowship

The Hospice of the Bluegrass Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program, is sponsored by the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, will prepare a physician fellow to become an expert in palliative medicine, demonstrating the highest standards in patient care and clinical scholarship. The program is designed to prepare physicians for a career in hospice and palliative medicine.

The one-year fellowship leads to board eligibility and will equip the physician to serve as a Medical Director of a community hospice program and/or provide palliative care consultation services in an acute care setting.

One fellow will be selected each year for the one-year clinical fellowship. The fellow will receive a certificate of completion from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Our program is designed to achieve 5 primary objectives:

  • Demonstrate competency in symptom control & end-of-life patient care
  • Become an effective communicator with patients & families
  • Exhibit skill in decision-making & management of complications
  • Contribute to the advancement of the field as an educator & researcher
  • Exemplify professionalism, clinical scholarship & compassion

Fellows will be accepted until position(s) is/are filled.  Applications are due December 1 preceding July 1 start date.

Read more about current and past fellows.

Training Venues

Inpatient acute care setting: Hospice of the Bluegrass’ inpatient unit, the Hospice Care Center, opened in 1996 and is currently a 17 bed unit housed at St. Joseph Main Hospital in Lexington. The Hospice Care Center’s mission is to provide intensive symptom management and respite services for patients on the Hospice Medicare Benefit.

Home hospice care is offered from the 7 different Hospice of the Bluegrass offices across a 32 county service area. Visits are provided by: physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, chaplains, nursing assistants, certified nursing assistants and bereavement counselors. Almost 40% of all HOB staff hold certification in their role in hospice and palliative care. Currently the census for the home-hospice program is 700.

Hospice care is provided in all Long Term Care facilities in the 32 county service area. In addition, Palliative Care Consult services are available in 11 Fayette County facilities. Today’s census in term care facilities is 309 patients. In 2007, 1094 patients and families received care and support within a long term care setting.

Palliative Care Center of the Bluegrass’ (PCCB) Consultation Service started in 1999 to provide Palliative Care to Hospitalized patients in Lexington. Through an interdisciplinary team, the PCCB Consultation Service provides Palliative Care to inpatients at five area hospitals and last year served over 800 patients with over 3,000 visits.

Ambulatory Practice setting care is offered through the Palliative Care Center of the Bluegrass owned and operated by Hospice of the Bluegrass. Physicians and Nurse Practitioners see patients and families needing ongoing palliative care services. Registered Nurses and Social Workers help to case manage the patients and families’ care.

One of Kentucky’s leading academic healthcare centers, UK Medical Center is among the top cancer care hospitals in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report. The HOB fellow will gain exposure to palliative medicine consulting in this unique academic hospital setting. The fellow will also provide palliative care instruction to students, residents and other healthcare professionals through seminar presentations.